Comb



March 19, 1935. A E DOVE I 1,994,505

ooms

Filed ott. 23, 19:55

witnesses.'

Infra/wor I 7 .al1/a Eozfe Patented Mar. 19, 1935 UNITED STATESPini-:larA OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to combs and particularly to combs for hair.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved combhaving structural characteristics which permit rapid and easy cleaningof the device; to provide a sanitary comb particularly suitable for useas equipment in public wash rooms, barber shops and the like; and toprovide a comb having a tooth arrangement which more readily serves toclean and exercise the hair.

A specic embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an improved comb partially broken away toshow its structural arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,showing interlocking means for holding separable parts of the structuretogether.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the same taken on the line 3--3of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the toothed edge of animproved comb.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the comb parts inpartially interlocked position.

In the form shown in the drawing, the improved comb comprises a pair ofsimilar comblike members arranged to be interlocked face to face in sucha way that the teeth of one comb member are staggered relative to theteeth oi the other comb member. That is, the teeth of one member arepositioned substantially opposite the spaces between the teeth of theother member. l

Each comb member 1 has the general appearance of an ordinary. comb forhair, having a back portion 2 and a plurality of teeth 3 projectingoutwardly from the back portion. The teeth 3 are spaced apart widely ascompared with the usual combs and in the form shown the spacing is aboutdouble that of the usual device, thereby providing wide spaces 4 betweenthe teeth at their base.

One face 5 of each comb member 1 is made flat so that the two combmembers, when placed face to face, will lie flatly and solidly againsteach other. Means for securing or clamping the comb members together areprovided on the flat face to the back portion 2 of each comb member andare arranged to slidably and releasably engage each other and, lock thecomb members in a proper position.

The securing means, in the form shown, comprise a pair ofdove-tail-shaped lugs or tongues 16 and a pair of dove-tail grooves 7,each member 1 having a lug 6 and a groove 7 positioned adjacent oppositeends of the member. The respective lugs and grooves are positioned sothat 5 -when the comb members are placed- 4face to face, a lug 6 of onemember will be opposite a groove 7 of the other member.

The lug 6 of each comb member projects upwardly from the face 5 of theback portion 2 and is dove-tail-shaped in section as shown in Fig. 3,the upper surface or face of the lug being inclined downwardly towardthe face 5 as it approaches the middle lportion of the back 2 as shownin Fig. 2.

The groove 7 of each comb member is formed in the back portion thereofand the bottom of the groove is inclined downwardly as it approaches theadjacent end of the comb member. This is also shown in Fig. 2. Eachgroove is also dove-tailed in section, as shown in Fig. 3, and the sidesof the groove converge slightly at the inner end to provide a slightwedging action on the lug as it reaches the position where it becomesfinally locked. Thus when the two comb members 1 are -placed face toface, with the high end of the lugs 6 positioned at the entrance to thegroove 7, and slidably shifted together lengthwise, the lugs 6 willenter the grooves 7 and, because of their dove-tail shape, securelyclamp and lock the two members together. y

In order to readily guide the lugs 6 into engagement with the grooves 7,a guide means is provided which comprises a longitudinal groove 8 on onemember and a longitudinal tongue 9 on the other member. When locking themembers 1 together the tongue 9 is rst placedin the groove 8 and thenthe members are slidably shifted toward each other until engaged andlocked.

The respective lugs and grooves are so positioned on the back portion ofeach comb member that when they are engaged and locked, the teeth 3 ofone comb member will be positioned opposite the spaces 4 between theteeth of the other member and thus be in alternate or staggered relationwith each other. In order to pro- Vide a unitary, neat appearingarticle, the teeth on each member are formed and located relative to theends of that member so that when they are in the proper alternaterelationship with the teeth of the other member the outlines of the twomembers will coincide and the device will appear as one single unit.

In operation, the herein-described device is used as a unit in the samemanner as the usual one-piece combs, the two comb members'being lockedtogether. When it is desired to clean the device the two members areshifted longitudinally of each other and thus unlocked and separatedwhen, due to the wide spacing of the teeth, the members can be easilycleaned with only a cloth or paper towel or the like. The wide spacingof the teeth permits the cloth or towel to readily enter the spaces 4when it is doubled around the comb member and pressed together with theusers lingers. Thus no special implements are necessary and theoperation is rapidly performed.

The main advantages of the improved comb reside in the rapidity and easewith which it is cleaned. Such combs when placed in public wash rooms,Pullman trains, hotels, etc., can be cleaned by each user in only amoments time, and thus the device is kept sanitary and would be a benetto particular and careful persons.

Another advantage is that the improved comb will provide an excellentexerciser for the hair and will have a more thorough cleansing action onthe hair than combs of the usual construction. Due to the staggered oralternate relationship of the comb teeth, the hair is caused to bendbetween the teeth as shown at 10 in Fig. 4, which not only exercises thehair but also readily cleanses it of any dirt, dust, or lint that mightbe adhering to it.

It is understood that improved combs such as is herein described can bemade with any desired spacing between the alternate teeth of thecombined structure so that fine or coarse combs may be provided.

Although but one speciiic embodiment o this invention has been hereinshown and described, it will be understood that details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A comb of the class described comprising a pair of superposed memberseach comprising a back portion having a plurality of spaced projectingteeth, a dovetail tongue projecting from one face of the back portion ofone of said members, the other of said members having a complementarydovetail groove in one face of its back portion, and said tongue andgroove being arranged to slidably engage with each other to lock saidmembers together in xed back to back relation with the teeth or" onemember in staggered relation with the teeth of the other member.

2. A comb ofthe class described comprising a pair of superposed memberseach comprising a back portion having a at face and a plurality ofspaced projecting teeth, a dovetail tongue on the flat face of one ofsaid members, said tongue being disposed wholly within the margins ofthe back portion of said one member, and the other of said membershaving a complementary groove in its at face disposed wholly within themargins thereof, said tongue and groove being arranged to slidably'coactwith each other to lock said members together in fixed back to backrelation with the teeth of one member in staggered relation with theteeth of the other member.

3. A comb of the class described comprising a pair of superposed memberseach comprising a back portion having a fiat face and a. plurality ofspaced projecting teeth, a dovetail tongue on the flat face of one ofsaid members, said tongue being disposed wholly within the margins ofthe back portion of said one member, the other of said members having acomplementary groove in its at face disposed wholly within the marginsthereof, said tongue and groove being arranged to slidably coact witheach other to lock said members together in xed back to back relationwith the teeth of one member in staggered relation with the teeth of theother member, and another tongue on one of said members arranged tocoact with another groove on the other of said members and guide thefirst mentioned tongue and groove into coacting relationship, said othertongue and groove extending parallel with the iirst mentioned tongue andgroove.

4. A comb of the class described comprising a pair of superposed memberseach comprising an elongated back portion having a fiat face and aplurality of laterally projecting spaced teeth, a projecting tongueextending longitudinally on the flat face of one of said members andlocated wholly within the margins thereof, said tongue having side wallsconverging toward the face of said one member and having its top surfaceinclined upwardly from the face of said member in the direction of itslength, and the other of said members having a complementary grooveformed in its at face and located within the margins thereof, saidgroove having its side walls converging toward the at face of said othermember and having its bottom inclined relative to the said face, saidtongue and groove being arranged to slidably coact with each other todraw said members together in xed face to face position with the teethof one member staggered relative to the teeth of the other member.

ALVA E. DOVE.

